From the Chronicles of Celtic Folk Customs by Brian Day 5th April, St Derfel's Day, Old Lady Day CELTIC. St Derfel was the 6th century Abbot of Bardsey, who was originally Cadarn, one of the King Arthur's knights, until he took holy orders after fighting in the Battle of Camlann in AD 539. King Arthur was killed at this battle. There was a shrine to St Derfel at Llandderfel, near Bala, Gwynedd which was destroyed in the Reformation. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

I just finished transcribing the Redruth residents in 1906 which are from the 1906 Kelly's Cornwall directory. I have complete the alphabet from A to L and hope to get to the rest of the alphabet by the end of the weekend. You can access the page at the url under my name, go to England, click on Cornwall and the on the Cornwall page, the link is under Directories. If anyone has and data or maps for Redruth (also surrounding area), I would be happy to get it on line at this site. Just email me off list. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

I have updated the surname registry on our mailing list's website. Please check your submission for accuracy. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA, listowner http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

from the Chronicles of Celtic Customs, by Brian Day 1st April, April Fools' Day CELTIC. The spring festival of the Celtic god of humour, Lud, involved a great deal of japery, coming as it did at the end of winter's privations. The first day, 25th March, and the last, 1st April, were the most important. A similar festival, Hilaria, was celebrated by the Romans. Further evidence of the complex origins of April Fools' Day comes from the festivities which once marked the end of the spring equinox, dating from at least the 2nd century, and the end of New Year celebrations on the Old Calendar, where New Year's Day was where 25th March is now. Another contributory element may be the merriment which always accompanied the end of Lent fasting, and possibly another the mocking of Christ before his death. A fool was commonly called a cuckoo, an allegedly foolish bird. The French term for an April Fool is Poisson d'Avril, which may come from the position of the sun at the spring equinox in the constellation Pisces. People are sent on fool's errands, or have pranks played upon them, but this must cease at 12 noon. The fool may thus have originally been a scapegoat or sacrificial victim. CORNWALL. Typical pranks played were sending someone for a penn'orth of pigeon's milk, for memory powder, for strap-oil, or with a note saying "Send the fool further!'. A successful trickster shouts to the victim 'Fool! Fool! Guckaw!' (Cuckoo!). -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

from Chronicles of Celtic Customs, by Brian Day Mothering Sunday, Mid-Lent Sunday, Fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday CELTIC. The Church custom of making donations to one's Mother Church on this day of relaxation from abstinence expanded to include honouring one's own mother, and young people such as servants and apprentices were given the day off to visit their mother and take gifts for food and spring flowers. The flowers were blessed in Church first, and it was customary for the children to take on all their mother's chores for the day. The custom lad lapsed by 1935, to be revived after World War II through the influence of United States servicemen whose own Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May had been instituted in the USA in 1907. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

These are my names I'm looking for. Do know that Christopher Whitford married Elizabeth Runals Aug 10 1868. This was also his birthday. They left for the states right after their marriage. They were married in St. Stephens Church in Redruth (per their obits). I understand it is now referred to as "Treleigh" Church. Christopher was a stone mason and had been indentured in Redruth to learn his trade. He worked his way over to the states and his wife and her mother Elizabeth Perkins Runals came as passengers. He was born Aug 10, 1847 and Elizabeth was born Jan. 6, 1850. Elizabeth's fathers name was Charles. If anyone has any info or can tell me where to order info I would certainly appreciate it. They are my ggrandparents. They settled in Dodgeville, Iowa County, Wisconsin. He worked as a stone mason and contractor in that area for years, as well as forming a company along with his sons, Christopher, Charlie and James. There are many buildings in the Dodgeville a! rea that were built by them. When he first came to the states he worked for a Joseph Kelley and Elizabeth Perkins Runals married Joseph Kelley. I cannot find any info on them in Redruth. I also found in their bible a red and white pennet with the words "Carn Brea" on it. Elizabeth's name is spelled Elsibeth in the bible. Pat Clarke Fogel Freeport, IL 61032 pfogel@computerdyn.com

Hi Michael and Samuel Bazeley (both born in St Breock) were working as miners in the Redruth area and married local girls. Michael married Alice Besanka(sic) in 1863 at the Chapel of St John Camborne and Samuel married a Mary Jane Michell the following year at the Wesleyan Chapel Copperhouse Redruth. In the 1871 census returns Alice is shown living with her children at Crowan and in 1881 at Camborne. (Michael was staying in St Breock with his mother) In 1883 Alice emigrated to Wisconsin to join Michael. At some time after his marriage Samuel moved to Hindley near Wigan (presumably his wife Mary Jane had died) and in 1881 he was living at Hindley with another wife Louise and with children from Redruth and Wigan. I have not been able to trace the death of Mary Jane in Cornwall. Is anyone tracing the Michell family who knows what happened to her? Ray Bazley

Hi List I am glad to see this list. I have the KNEEBONE and NICHOLLS family and they are both from the Redruth Cornwall area ca 1870. I am looking for the NICHOLLS family. George Nicholls was the father and he was born ca 1805-9 Here is his family I am looking for: Susanna Johns NICHOLLS b. 1809 in Reduth ( need to find her parents ) Elizabeth Nicholls b 1830 (she married a Mr / Allen) Anna Maria Nicholls b. 1832 John Johns Nicholls b 1834( married a Mary Ann Sweet) William Henry Nicholls b 1836 James Henry Nicholls b 1840 Georgiana Nicholls b 1842 ( married James Thomas Henry Kneebone ) Richard Seymour Nicholls b 1845 A. Albert Nicholls b 1847 (married Pamela ?) Emily Selina Nicholls b 1849 JoAnna Johns Nicholls b 1851 (married Richard Goldsworthy ) I would just love for some one to know any of these family members... Thank you so much Shirley

from the Chronicles of Celtic Traditions, by Brian Day Old New Year's Day, Lady Day CELTIC. As this was New Year's Day before 1752 in many parts of the British Isles, but not Scotland, many fairs were held today. Lady Day was a quarter day, fixed for legal purposes, on which rents were due and contracts and leases came up for renewal. The tax year still starts near this day. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

From Chronicle of Celtic Customs by Brian Day March 21st Vernal Equinox CELTIC. This day was celebrated by the Ancient Celts as the day when the Sun God Bran (alleged to be buried on Tower Hill, London) regains power over the forces of darkness and causes the days to lengthen thereafter. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com All outgoing mail virus free, scanned by Norton 2002

Hi! I'm interested in locating connections to Harold & Mary WEAR who were living at Buller Terrace in Redruth in 1960s. Apparently a nephew took over the house when they moved and then he went to a retirement home. The above couple may have passed on by now. Where could I find out about this? Any suggestions welcome. Thank you, Heather _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus